France has rapidly become a hotbed of emerging basketball talent, producing six young stars who have made significant waves in the last two seasons. Leading this new generation is Victor Wembanyama, who dazzled fans and analysts alike to earn the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2024.
These rising French phenoms have showcased their exceptional skills, athleticism, and basketball IQ, making an indelible mark on both the European and NBA stages. As they continue to develop and thrive, they are poised to redefine the future of basketball, bringing a new level of excitement to basketball.
PG: Nolan Traore
As of this year, talented French prospect Nolan Traore signed his inaugural professional contract with Saint-Quentin in the top division. Just a month later, on April 28, 2024, in only his fifth professional game, Traore dazzled with 18 points, shooting 7 for 15 from the field, and dished out 8 assists in just 21 minutes. This outstanding performance came in a closely contested match against ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, a powerhouse Euroleague team.
The following week, at only 17 years old, Traore made headlines by scoring 25 points and adding 5 assists in a game against Elan Chalon in the Betclic Elite. Notably, this achievement surpassed Antoine Rigaudeau’s previous record for the highest-scoring performance by a player under 18 in French championship history, set at 22 points in 1989.
The 6’4″ point guard has the natural skills and leadership ability to be an impact player in the NBA and we will be seeing him in the league in very short order. With the size and proof of being an above-average talent at such a young age, Traore is the first of six very talented prospects coming out of France.
SG: Bilal Coulibaly
The Indiana Pacers selected Coulibaly with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and traded his rights to the Washington Wizards for two future second-round picks and the draft rights to Jarace Walker. Coulibaly joined Washington during the 2023 NBA Summer League and ended the four games averaging 12.3 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Making his NBA debut in the Wizards’ season opener on October 25th, Coulibaly contributed three points, four rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in 23 minutes during a 143-120 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Just five days later, he became the youngest player in Wizards franchise history to start a game at just 19 years and 96 days old.
Unfortunately, his rookie season was cut short as he would miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season due to a right wrist fracture sustained in a game against the Chicago Bulls. Coulibaly still played 63 games, starting in 15 of them, and averaged 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
SF: Zaccharie Risacher
It is projected that Zaccharie Risacher will be a top-10 pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft and we eagerly await his NBA debut. On June 16, 2023, Risacher signed his first professional contract with ASVEL but was immediately loaned to JL Bourg for the 2023–24 season. His performance didn’t go unnoticed, as on November 29, 2023, Risacher was named to Team France for the LNB All-Star Game.
Internationally, Risacher shined in the 2023–24 EuroCup season with JL Bourg, reaching the finals. In April, he was honored as the EuroCup Rising Star, becoming the second youngest player to win the award at age 19.
This year, in May of 2024, Risacher’s outstanding season was further recognized when he was named the Best Young Player of the 2023–24 LNB Elite season. He finished the season with averages of 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 22 minutes per game and he could be the next efficient swingman who could become the standout performer for his new side.
PF: Alexandre Sarr
Alexandre Sarr made the move to the United States to join the newly established Overtime Elite league based in Atlanta, which offered him an alternative professional pathway. He spent two seasons in the league, playing his first season with Team Overtime and his second with YNG Dreamerz. Sarr’s strong performance earned him second-team All-OTE honors in the 2022–23 season.
Later in 2023, Sarr signed with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) as part of the league’s Next Stars program for the 2023–24 season. He concluded the season with averages of 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 0.9 assists in 17 minutes per game. Looking to further his career, Sarr declared for the 2024 NBA draft and he will likely be selected in the top three considering his potential.
PF: Ousmane Dieng
Ousmane Dieng, selected with the No. 11 overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 2022 NBA draft, was immediately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for three 2023 first-round draft picks. On April 15, 2024, Dieng achieved a significant milestone by winning the NBA G League title with the Oklahoma City Blue.
In a standout performance, he was named the championship game’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 25 points, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out four assists, and recording two blocks in a victory against the Maine Celtics. The 6’10” power forward averaged 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 2023 followed by averages of 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game with the Oklahoma City Thunder and has yet to scratch the surface of his potential.
C: Victor Wembenyama
Victor Wembanyama is one of the greatest basketball prospects of all time. The Frenchman was selected by the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, making history as the first French player and only the second European player after Andrea Bargnani in 2006 to be drafted first overall. He joined a prestigious franchise, becoming the third player selected first overall by the Spurs, following legends David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
On October 25, Wembanyama made his much-anticipated NBA regular-season debut, contributing 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in a 126–119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. His three three-pointers set a Spurs rookie record for a debut game, and he ended up completing his rookie campaign with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game.
Victor Wembanyama was named the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, achieving the honor by a unanimous vote and becoming just the sixth rookie ever to win the award under those circumstances. He also made history by joining Manute Bol as the only rookie in NBA history to lead the league in both blocks per game and total blocks in a season.
Additionally, Wembanyama finished second in the voting for the 2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, behind Rudy Gobert, and was further recognized by being named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Based on how good he has been, Wembanyama looks to be on track to having a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.
France Will Have A World-Class Team For The Future
France has a host of interesting prospects led by superstar center Victor Wembanyama. As each of the six players mentioned are under 21 years old, the future of their international team is in very good hands. It is no secret that the world has caught up to Team USA, and France will be a powerhouse in just a couple of years.
We anticipate that Wembanyama will become one of the five best players in the world in short order while Alex Sarr could potentially end up as the No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks this year. Otherwise, Zaccharie Risacher has the potential to be an elite two-way swingman and he could support France’s rise alongside Nolan Traore, Ousmane Dieng, and Bilal Coulibaly.
Credit for an idea: Nic Thomas
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